Ad Honorem Immaculatae Conceptionis Mariae Oblatio

160 of humiliations.” 9 Father Casimir – the author of St. Stanislaus Papczyński’s biography – interpreted this incident, caused by circumstances preventing the continuance of his studies, as a period of learning to worship God and to be humble, as well as a specific “protective period,” preserving him from both the epidemic ravaging central Poland and the pernicious influence of the world. Another important result was his increased trust in Divine Providence, which bore fruit particularly during the period of establishing his new religious community. Therefore I thank God that, by His will, at that time I was obliged by my Parents to tend the sheep, because (I dare to make it known with tranquil conscience) while I stayed in the fields among the sheep I kept my conscience pure and holy! O my Lord, I humbly beseech of you, that this kind of Providence of Your Majesty, may lead me till the end of my life, – what I hope and believe shall be, – so that you may be glorified in all my works, thoughts and words. Amen. 10 As demonstrated by the above examples, the time before making his Oblatio had become for Fr. Papczyński a period of maturation marked, on the one hand, by personal, intellectual and spiritual growth and prolif- ic authorship; and on the other, by suffering and painful experiences that formed his faith, trust and determination in following the One who called him. Father Stanislaus had a full awareness of himself: of both his original state and the fact of being gifted. “Be blessed, o Lord, for ever, and after so many bad things done, make me do good ones in my vocation, because in truth, I find that, of myself, I am not fit for anything good. You, however, who are re- ading about these events do not wonder that they have been related by me, for I thought that it is a wicked thing to conceal God’s bene- fits, and I wanted to spur you to praising God’s omnipotence and his care about us. To whommay praise, honor, glory be for ever. Amen.” 11 9 Stróż duchowego dziedzictwa marianów . Wybór pism o. Kazimierza Wyszyńskiego , transl. and ed. by Z. Proczek MIC, Warszawa – Stockbridge 2004, p. 64. 10 Second excerpt from Secreta Conscientia , in Historical Writings...”, p. 14. 11 First excerpt from Secreta Conscientia , in Historical Writings...”, p. 13.